The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-07-22
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
FrIghtful Scene on the Erie Rail-
road.
An Express Train oashes Into a
Gang Of Laborers,
And scatters Their MangIed Bodies
Along the Track.

NEW YORK, July 21.-The Evening Tele-
gram prints an account of a terrible railroad
accident which occurred this morning on the
Erie railroad, between Allendale and Hobo
kus. 1t says: "The catastrophe was at
tended with an appalling loss Of life, and
over a dozen mangIed bodies on the track at
tested the indifference, stupidity or wanton
neglect of some one whose duty II should
have been to give warning of the impending
disaster. A gang of Italian laborers were at
work ballasting on the railroad, a little dis
tance from sharp curve, about three-fourths
of mile above Hohokus. The Chicago ex-
press, which was due an hour before, had
not arrived, and these men, whose foreman
should have given warning whistle when
the train was approaching the sharp curve,
were busy at work, unconscious of the terri
BILE fate which was In store for them.
At 7.15, train No. II, the express which
was due an hour previous, rushed around
the curve before the men had the slightest
warning, and dashed through them, killing
u or Is outright and wOunding many Others
The shrieks of the victims were heart-rend-
ing, and when the train slowed up the track
presented the sickening sight of being COW
spattered with blood, and broken limbs, and
pieces of ragged flesh being scattered in all
directions. Some of the bodies were mang-
led beyond description, and crushed out Of
all semblance to humanity. The most of the
victims must have been killed instantly, but
some of them appeared to be yet quivering
and life ebbing away when the train was
brought to a standstill. There was only ff-
teen minutes delay, when the train which
had wrought so much disaster proceeded on
its way from Allendale to Hohokus.
The question Of who is to blame is yet to
be settled. but it is claimed that it was the
duty of the foreman of the gang of laborers
to watch for approaching trains at the dan
ger0us curve, and that he must have neglect
ed to give the warning whistle. Mr.. W. l..
was behind the Chicago express, in CONVEX
sation with reporter, described the scene
as one of the most sickening that could be
witnessed.
"Along the tracks," he said, "were arms,
legs, trunks and other parts of the bodies,
perry with blood. The disaster must have
taken place with such suddenness that the
neil did not know till the train was down on
them. The conductor of the train on which
rode said that the train hands Of the ex-
press were not to blame He believed the
foreman OF the gang vas responsible for the
disaster by neglecting to give warning
The Italians killed in tOday'S disaster were
all married, and had been in this country on
ly about six months. Six Of the wounded
men were removed to Paterson, N. j. One
was SO frightfully injured about the head
and body as to be unrecognizable; he is dead
Mr. March, the padrone, who supplies the
Erie Railroad Company with its Italian la
borers, arrived early at Paterson. He iden-
tilted the men by means of their numbers,
which are written on slips and carried by
the men in little tin boxes. Six or seven
hundred dollars were found on the persons
of the dead men, and was taken possession
of by Mr.. March, Ewho will place it in the
hands of the Italian Consul at New York, in
trust for their relatives.